1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a sensor apparatus, system and process for monitoring the passage of a mechanical device or a target object such as, in preferred embodiments, the motion of a rotating sweep hand indicator of a consumables meter. In preferred embodiments, the consumables meter comprises a sweep hand meter of the type including, but not limited to a water meter, a gas meter, an electric meter or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
The usage of certain consumable materials is often measured and displayed by a sweep hand meter, such as a conventional water meter, gas meter or electricity meter. Utility meters are typically monitored periodically by service personnel (a meter reader) of the respective utility company. Such monitoring practices have typically required utility company personnel to physically visit the location of the utility meter and observe the information recorded by one or more sweep hands of the meter. In many cases, these utility meters are installed within the premise of each household, business, or the like, and are often located at a distance from the public street, or within a gated area where access to the utility meters is encumbered. As a result, such conventional meter reading practices can be problematic, time-inefficient and, in some cases, dangerous for the meter reader.
To address such problems as described above, utility meters with a remote meter reading systems have been developed. A remote meter reading system allows a meter reader to read one or more utility meters from a remote location, thus avoiding the need for a meter reader to enter the premises or location of each utility meter. The remote meter reading system thus improves the efficiency in reading the utility meters and provides the utility company personnel with a safer working environment. However, conventional remote meter reading systems typically require the replacement of conventional utility meters with a monitoring/transmitting device designed to monitor the particular consumable and to transmit consumption readings to a remote location. Such replacement devices can be costly and the installation of such devices may require special electrical, plumbing or mechanical skills.
Another difficulty encountered with prior attempts to remotely read utility meters arises from the fact that the types and manufacturers of utility meters can vary from one household to another household, from one city block to another or from one county to another. Furthermore, utility meters are installed in a variety of diversified environments. For example, the utility meters may be constantly exposed to extremely high or low ambient temperature, or they may be installed outdoors under bright sun light or within a dark enclosed area. Therefore, a system designed for one type of meter or environment of use may not be satisfactory for other meter types or environments.